Hogwarts Fairytales
by Aamunkajo
Summary: Hermione is the Head Girl, she has a gorgeous boyfriend and everything seems alright. But is Hermione truly happy? A HG/DM and HG/SS -story. **Chapter VII up!** (I'll be putting up the next few chapters quite soon!)
1. Opposites attract

Hermione/Draco, Severus/Hermione (our Hermione's a real man-eater!)

Overall rating: _hard_ R on later parts (you have been warned. Actually this would be partly NC-17…) Later a little hints of slash, too.

Romance, angst/drama (plenty of girly sobbing and analysing feelings)

This is my very first piece of fanfiction. After reading a helluva lot of other people's stories, I finally got inspiration to write my very own story. I have no idea why it's a het-story, since my favourite pairing happens to be Severus/Harry, and I was supposed to create a few enjoyable moments for those two, but Hermione _really_ wanted me to write about her. And Severus (just don't ask _me_ what's Draco doing in her life. Go blame _HER_!) It's a bit girly sob-romance story, but also a growth-story of Hermione.

Okay, enough of me babbling, go read it now! And let me know what you think! This really is my first fic and I want to know all the flaws (and he good bits, if they exist). aamunkajo7@hotmail.com

Disclaimers: Anything and everything you recognise probably belongs to the Creator (and that would be Ms. Rowling). The story (and Hermione's teenage angst) belong to me. I might have unconsciously stolen tiny bits and bobs from other people's fics, but take it as a compliment. Your fic was probably so great and inspirational it got stuck in my mind.

But if you want your credit for something bigger and truly original only you have invented and used in your fic, let me know.

Hogwarts Fairytales 

by: Aamunkajo

Chapter I – Opposites attract

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful castle in a distant land. In the castle lived a princess, who was so beautiful you would be blinded if you looked at her. So her father decided to keep her locked away, so she couldn't harm anyone…"

Hermione crumpled the still ink-wet parchment and threw it on the floor. Writing (or trying to write, more like) fairytales from one's problems was _not_ an effective stress-reliever. To her, anyway. Perhaps it worked for Ginny, who had recommended it. She rubbed her fingers anxiously and noticed some black ink on them, now spread all over her hands.

"Goodie!" she thought glaring at the ink, "I think that's enough of princesses for today, anyway."

She rose from the chair and sloughed towards the bathroom. Crookshanks purred in his sleep in front of the fire and Hermione wished her life would be as simple as his. Though Hermione was used to mental pressure and hard work (she'd been a Prefect since her 5th year and a bookworm and top student for all her life), being the Head Girl was stressing. She didn't want to give up her great marks and love for studying, but also wanted to plan and arrange all social events etc. in Hogwarts.

||If the first two months have been like this, I wonder if I'll make it through the year…||

She reached for the bathroom door's knob and tried not to leave any marks on it. She decided to take a bath and turned on the tap while pouring in some lavender-scented bath-oil.

||Wonder if I'll ever start doing these things the wizard way? The _easy _way, instead of the muggle style.||

She popped her finger into the tub to test the temperature. It was quite hot, the way she liked it. She started to open her robes lazily, finally letting it drop on the floor. Underneath she wore sleek black trousers and a crisp white fitted t-shirt. She removed them, and then her underwear, which happened to be a black lacy g-string. She smiled to herself, remembering Draco's expression when he got to know Hermione's taste of undergarments personally. She had no need for a bra, so she didn't wear one. Except for Quidditch lessons a sports bra was a must. She got into the tub slowly, enjoying the hot water warming up her body inch by inch.

"Yes. Draco." she said aloud. "Who would have thought you'd fall for a Mudblood girl? The girl you used to pick on for so many years."

A little voice somewhere back in Hermione's head reminded her, that Draco was not the only one who suddenly fell for an old enemy. She closed her eyes and recalled the past few years, when everything in the school had changed so much. _Everything_. Not just hers and Draco's relationship. You-Know-Who had been defeated for a few times, nothing new about that. He always kept coming back for some reason. But the last times he had been weaker. Not because he had lost his powers, no, but because people no longer believed in him. Because Slytherin no longer produced dark wizards no more than the other houses. Because Slytherin and Gryffindor were no longer blood-rivals. The wizarding world had reached an understanding and now standed united.

"It's so Gryffindor-ish of me to be such an idealist," Hermione sighed bitterly "If only things were so good as they seem to be."

But it wasn't just about Hermione's optimism. Things _had_ changed on the grassroots level. The new generations of Slytherins didn't believe in their parents' beliefs about purebloods and mudbloods (though most of them still didn't appreciate muggles). Draco Malfoy was a good example. He had, with Dumbledore's help, moved out of the Malfoy Manor and out of his father's reach. Now he was the Head Boy…. and Hermione's boyfriend.

It had all happened so quickly. Well, actually it took two whole years for them to understand their feelings, but it didn't feel like it. In their 5th year, Draco and Hermione had both been made Prefects, so they had to spend some time together. They got to know each other better and became friends eventually. In their 5th year the younger Slytherin generation had finally decided to come out of the "anti-Voldemort closet", too. Like Draco, many of them had been made disinherited and homeless. The Ministry, among others, had offered plenty of job vacations for the defectors aged 18+ and Dumbledore had changed the school rules so, that the younger kids could practically live in the school throughout the year.

So they had become friends, but lovers? Hermione still didn't know how that had happened. Draco had been really quiet throughout the end of term festival last year, so she _might_ had been able to sense something. Yeah, _might_. He had never showed any signs of possible attraction towards her, so his sudden confessions of loving her (after a little evening walk to the astronomy tower) came as a slight shock. She had been totally stunned for a moment, watching Draco's changing emotions. First, passion. Then surprise, immediately followed by disappointment (and maybe Hermione needed to get her eyes checked, but was that pain and grief that flashed in his eyes just for a second? Perhaps the boy was losing his pride). He had turned his eyes away and mumbled something unintelligible before starting to back off. Then Hermione had realized (or had she?…another voice in her head mentioned) that she too had feelings for this boy. He was good-looking as hell, and he seemed to have a great body. Almost every girl in the school was after him. He was also smart, a prefect, Slytherin Quidditch team captain and a bit of a socialite. Dream come true, some might say.

So she had reached for him and said, "Wait!" As he turned around, looking a little confused (and sad!), Hermione cupped his face and kissed him. Draco trembled a little and it took him a few seconds to realize what just happened. He let out a low moan and tangled his left hand in Hermione's hair while caressing her waist and back with his right one. Hermione opened her mouth to let Draco explore her mouth with his tongue, and to do the same to him. She moved her hands to caress Draco's back, and then lower… until she reached his buttocks and cupped them, pressing him close to her. She was a bit surprised by her behaviour herself, but just thought, "a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, when she has a need". And indeed, she was getting excited and aroused, with Draco's lips caressing her neck, biting down just a bit, his hands now touching her breasts through her shirt and his… member pressing against her lower stomach. She wasn't the only one suddenly needing a good shag, apparently. 

Then Draco pulled away, his face flushed and lips swollen. Hermione thought she must look the same, but didn't really care. She just looked at Draco curiously.

"What? Why did you stop?"

"We can't. Not here" he smiled shyly.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Then why did you want to come to the astronomy tower, if you're not in for a little shagging?"

||Did he just _blush?||_

Such a pristine act for the Slytherin Sex-God (as some called him. not Hermione. just the others. not her. honestly.)

"I…..I just prefer…the.. comfort of a bed" he said stammering bit, with a hint of smile in the corner of his mouth.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and smiled wickedly. "So you're suggesting that we…?"

"The Slytherin rooms are at this end of the castle…if, of course, you wish to…"

"Then what are we waiting for."

Hermione had started to feel refreshed, lying in the lavender-scented water, recalling the romantic (and not just romantic!) starting moments of their relationship, when there was a knock on the door.

"Damn."

She got out and grabbed a huge, deep red towel and wrapped it around her. Luckily, she hadn't started washing her hair yet, so she only needed one towel. Her long, naturally wavy hair was a real pain sometimes, most of the time, actually. Mostly when it was wet. Over the years spent as a witch she had learned many clever spells to control it, something the muggle shampoos and conditioners could never do.

"Just a second! I'm coming" she shouted, when there was another knock.

She felt cold when she stepped out from the bathroom. The fire in the hearth had burned out and Crookshanks was now sleeping on her bed. Wrapping the towel tighter around her she walked towards the door, wondering who might interrupt her at…she quickly glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was almost nine o'clock. As the Head Girl, she had her own room and her very own bathroom, too. Which was nice, very nice. She reached the dark and heavy oak door and opened it. Outside stood Draco Malfoy. He smiled at Hermione.

"I thought we had a date at eight, but you look like you're still preparing yourself."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I totally forgot we were supposed to out for a dinner."

"It's all right," he said, hiding his disappointment "We can always go to Hogsmeade next Friday."

Sometimes he was still acting like they had just started going out. Draco liked doing little things, like eating together, rather formally.

"You know what. You come in right now, and summon the house elves to bring something to eat while I go finish my bath. Then we might figure out something better to kill time with than eating Rosmerta's pumpkin pie…"

The last words were purred lowly. Hermione closed the door and gave Draco a little smile before leaping back to the bathroom.

She threw the towel on the floor and got back into the tub. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo, she poured some on her palm, wetted her hair and started washing. After rinsing her hair and slathering on some conditioner (which was no use, though, she would have to cast some spells anyway) she reached for her wand and muttered a few words to remove the stubble from her legs. She rinsed the conditioner off, scrubbed the ink stains off her hand and got out.

Towelling her body and hair, she took a good look at herself. She had a full-length mirror in her bathroom. She had a pale skin. Too pale, Parvati and Lavender kept telling her, but she preferred her skin pale. A few freckles on her nose told she hadn't spent the _whole_ summer inside reading books, only most of it. Her body was slender, a bit skinny, perhaps. She didn't have much appetite usually and that was visible on her body. She had small bones and pretty hands, just like her mother. She wasn't too tall, something between short and average. And her face was just ok.

She grabbed some moisturiser and rubbed it on her face.

"No spots to cover up. Good."

Then she put on her dressing gown, cast a spell to dry and tame her hair and exited the bathroom to get some clean clothes.

"Not that I really need them now, anyway" she grinned to herself wickedly.

So she decided to spend the evening in her Chinese-style dressing gown, black satin with embroided red and dark pink flowers.

Hermione's bedroom had two dark red armchairs by the hearth, covered with soft, almost velvet-like material, and a matching sofa, a cherry-wooden desk and a chair for studying (though she preferred the sofa for reading her textbooks), a sofa-table made from some dark wood, a cherry-wooden wardrobe and a huge four-poster bed with sheets in Gryffindor colours. She liked to sleep in the dark, so she had plush velvet curtains to cover up the windows when needed, crimson, of course. The floor was almost covered with eastern-style rugs.

Draco had lit the fire and was now sipping tea on the sofa. On the table was a tray filled with food; tuna sandwiches, muffins, selection of fruits and a pot of steaming tea. Draco lifted his head when he heard Hermione say "Hello, gorgeous!" from the bathroom door. She walked to him and kissed him lightly. As she sat next to him, he took a mug and filled it with hot tea and passed it to her.

"Thank you." She took a tuna sandwich started to eat in small bites. Draco ate too, watching her.

"So. Are you going to write me in the summer?" she teased him, knowing he would not just write, but come to visit her.

"Mmm. Perhaps." he teased her back.

||Ohh, dear Merlin! What have I gotten myself into this time? Less than 24 hours ago I thought of Draco as a good friend, and now I'm planning a relationship with him!||

She wasn't sure about her feelings, was this a mere crush or was she _in love with him_?

||Do I really care? I have the Slytherin Sex-God on his knees in front of me.|| she giggled to herself.

Hermione had sure been dating a few boys before, and she was no virgin (damn those teenage hormones!), but she hadn't had a proper relationship before. And that's what Draco seemed to have in his mind.

During the summer Hermione learnt what the Slytherin "get what they want, whatever it takes" really meant. Draco simply _adored_ her. He sent her flowers every single day (poor owl got a bit of exercise!) and a little present once a week.

||He's really spoiling me. But he's got the money to do that, I won't object. Though I do hope he finds other than purely material ways to show his affection when the new term begins.||

Hermione was enjoying herself every time he and Draco met in person. Though they didn't have too much in common (Hermione didn't like sports, Draco wasn't that interested in reading), they both loved the same type of music and art, so they had something to talk about. Draco was really funny and made her laugh.

||And let's not forget the sex… the guy knows what to do to a girl!||

Draco worshipped her in bed. But still, something was missing. Hermione decided to forget about that little missing thing and concentrate on enjoying his company while it lasted.

Harry had been ok when Hermione told him about her and Draco, but Ron took it quite badly. He had almost made friends with the Slytherin boy (they were perfectly civil towards each other) when the old rivalry was forgotten and the old grudges forgiven, but their relationship made him hate Draco again. Hermione didn't need to wonder why. Ginny had informed her earlier about Ron's little crush on Hermione…

"Earth calling Hermione Granger."

Draco was waving his hand in front of Hermione's face. She held a half-eaten sandwich on her hand and a mug of cold tea on the other. She blinked twice lazily and lifted her head to meet Draco's eyes.

"Whoa. You were miles away." He gave her a little smile.

"Guess I was. Sorry. I've been a little stressed out lately."

Draco traced his long fingers along her neck before nuzzling her ear.

"Can you think of anything that could relax you a bit?" he breathed in her ear.

Hermione smiled, put down her sandwich and mug and pulled Draco in a kiss. Her libido was quite strong and Draco was ideal partner physically. She pulled off, got up from the sofa and held Draco's hand, eyes never leaving his.

"Come here" she said smiling mischievously, leading him towards the bed.

||Physical pleasure is the best way to relieve stress.||

And to try to fill the emptiness inside, a little voice reminded her, but she ignored it.

To be continued…


	2. Cursed

Chapter II – Cursed

Monday, 10 a.m. Severus Snape was sitting in his classroom, waiting for the 7th year Slytherins and Gryffindors to show up for yet another freak show supposed-to-be potions lesson. It might be allright, if that Longbottom boy didn't screw everything up _every single time, _and if those Weasley and Potter wouldn't use all their might to give him ulcer and migraine, and if that Granger girl…

||Hermione. Hermione… Granger.||

He went pale at the thought and gulped. He'd had hard time concentrating on teaching lately with Hermione Granger in the classroom.

||I must be going mad. Or someone has cursed me. Perhaps this is part of Voldemort's next return? He's making me mad to get at least someone to stand next to him and the good ol' Unforgiveables just won't do this time. Knowing the man's sense of humour, he's been doubled over with laughter the past few months just thinking about me _trying_ to teach something to those dunderheads with my mind messed up with thoughts of that girl instead of potions recipes… oh, dear Merlin. It must be Voldemort. I wouldn't be thinking…_dreaming_ of her… her lips. What they would taste like? And her… Calm down, Severus, old man! You have a class to bully.||

He watched the wretched kids take over the worktables and glared them one by one with a sour face, eyes staying at Potter a little longer and skipping Hermione altogether. Then, leaning back, crossing his arms and pulling on a sneer, he started the lesson.

"Today we shall be making the Somnus Profundus Calming Potion. It is used, in small amounts, to relieve tension, stress, mania, excessive excitement and insomnia. In larger amounts it is used to stun dangerous psychiatric patients. There are a few patients in St. Mungo's psychiatric ward who are continuously fed this particular potion."

His eyes flashed at Neville, who squirmed in his seat.

||That boy could surely join his parents. He is, after all, as brain-dead as they are.||

He got up and turned to his blackboard. As he was writing the ingredients and instructions on the blackboard, he gave the class a few tips verbally, knowing they would forget them as soon as he had said them.

"Remember to crush the nutmegs _carefully_. Asphodel _must_ be heated and mixed with salt before adding to the potion. And the needed amount of belladonna is only one pinch," he turned around and glanced at Harry, "unless, of course, you wish to end your studies at Hogwarts before graduating."

||It's his last year to try to get himself killed with me running to save him at the last moment. I might be missing him next year.|| he thought sarcastically and felt a pang in his chest. ||Potter is not the only one leaving. Hermione… sweet Hermione will be gone in under a year.||

He sat down and turned his attention to the pile of essays that needed grading, though he wasn't really interested in what his 1st year Hufflepuffs knew about the Shrinking Solution, he just needed to hide his face from his students, in case the emotions he was struggling with might be visible.

He had just marked one particularly inadequate essay as D-, when there was a loud pop, followed by an even louder hiss and general noise of sudden disorder. He sighed and snarled, "Another Longbottom, I assume?"

Raising his head with a smirk on his face, he took a look at the mentioned Longbottom situation and his face quickly paled.

"What in the name of Merlin have you done?!" he yelled as he got up and hurried towards Neville.

He assumed it was Neville Longbottom he was yelling at. With all that long green and blue hair growing from his body, it _was_ hard to tell. And it wasn't just Neville. Half of the students were covered in long, colourful hair. Snape glared in Neville's cauldron narrowing his eyes.

"_What_ did you put into that cauldron? The ingredients of Somnus Profundus should not have _such_ reaction, even if used in wrong quantities."

His voice was very soft and he spoke slowly and dangerously. Neville was trembling.

"I…I..I..ddid..didn't…I.."

"Well you _certainly_ did, _Long_bottom. What – was – it?"

He glanced around the working table and his eyes stopped at a small vile, filled with something dark red.

Snape actually let out a little malicious laughter. Then he sighed dramatically and sneered loudly, so the whole class could hear,

"So our beloved Mr. _Long_bottom decided to not follow my instructions, which I very clearly wrote on the blackboard. He decided, with his _very_ limited knowledge on potions, to design and create a potion of his own."

Snape glared the now sobbing Neville with an evil smirk and continued,

"Mr. Longbottom here decided to… _experiment _with Somnus Profundus and _dragon's blood_. As you all can see, this… _experiment _was rather fruitful. As much as _I_ would love to see Mr. Longbottom running around the school camouflaged like this, as much as it would be _fair_ to let him _alone_ suffer the consequences of his little experiment, I doubt it would be appropriate. So, off to the infirmary, all of you! I shall clean up the mess. And thirty points will be taken from Gryffindor. Class dismissed!"

The whole class had been standing silently when Snape spoke, half horrified because of the sudden change in their appearance, half because of Snape's rage. Now they started to move out of the classroom, and Snape noticed that Hermione, too, was exposed to Longbottom's latest invention. He felt even better for bellowing at Neville, and regretted that he hadn't been meaner.

||The boy should suffer the rest of the day, walking around the school with that ridiculous fur. Unfortunately Albus would not be pleased. Nor Minerva, come to think of it.||

He waited until the dungeon was empty, then pulled out his wand and, with a wave of hand and few muttered words, the mess was gone.

||If the potion hadn't had such effects, Longbottom would have been here scrubbing the tables and the floor until his knuckles bled.||

As he had plenty of time before the next freak circus ||Ohh, my. The little Hufflepuffs trying to not pee in their pants.|| would show up, he decided to clean up all the tables and arrange the supplies, _for once_. With a few flicks of his wand, he emptied and cleaned the cauldrons. Then he turned his attention on arranging the ingredients. When he was done, he thought that a nice cuppa might calm his nerves down

||Especially if I add a drop of my own Somnus Potion…||, so he conjured a pot of Earl Grey and sat down to enjoy the hot liquid.

The rest of the lessons went smoothly. The 1st year Hufflepuffs didn't manage to blow any cauldrons, after Snape told them about the accident.

||_Accident_, indeed.||

The 4th year Ravenclaws created quite adequate Tickling Tinctures.

Snape was feeling much better when he exited his office and headed towards the Great Hall for dinner. As he sat down and glanced around the hall, he couldn't help a little smirk. Some of the Slytherins and Gryffindors still had a few funny coloured hairs growing from their heads. Neville was sitting embarrassed, staring at his plate.

||Serves him right.||

He ate some potatoes, meatballs and boiled vegetables. As the dessert arrived, he noticed Hermione giving him strange looks.

||She must be furious because of that Longbottom situation…Perhaps I _was_ too severe earlier. Now wait... Why _would_ I care what Hermione…no, _Granger_ thinks of me?||

He pushed the thoughts of regret away and continued eating his pudding.

After the plates had disappeared, he returned to his quarters to grade more essays. He hadn't really had a productive day, for obvious reasons.

||Perhaps I should check my Slytherins later, to make sure the effects have worn out.||

**************

To be continued…


	3. Unfair authorities

Chapter III – Unfair Authorities

||He's been staring at me all the time. If I just pretend to not notice, perhaps…||

On the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Neville pour some red liquid into his cauldron.

||Oh no…||

"Neville! Don't…"

That was all she managed to say, when there was an explosion. The cauldron next to her was spitting dark blue liquid all over the classroom and the students.

||Oh, Merlin, it burns!||

Everything happened like in a half-speed muggle film. Students crouched horrified under their tables, trying to avoid the hot potion spreading over them. Hermione grabbed the petrified Neville and, covering her face, ducked. It didn't help much; she wasn't still safe from that blue goo.

She heard Snape yelling something, but couldn't make out the words. Her skin was stinging too badly.

||Oh bloody fuck, what happened? I gotta get this stuff off!||

She rubbed her arms madly, in vain.

"Somnus Profundus…….… quantities."

||What's happening NOW?! What the bloody hell? Oh, no… no…||

"…you _certainly_ did, Longbottom."

||My hands! My hands are covered in pink hairs! Okay. Breathe! Calm down. It can be fixed, right.||

"Class dismissed!"

"Yes, sir!" she muttered.

"Harry, have you checked the mirror lately? You need a shave."

"Hate to say this to a lady, but so need you!" Harry teased her back.

Hermione tried to laugh.

"Come on, let's get to the hospital wing and quickly. Ron… Neville? Are you coming?"

She did all she could to stop herself from strangling Neville right there and then.

||How _could_ I have been so stupid to not notice the vial of dragon's blood lying on the table, simply waiting for Neville to come and ruin the day?||

"Draco? Are you all right?" she searched for the boy as they hurried out of the classroom and felt a bit better when she noticed that only Draco's hair seemed to be suffering.

||Well, he doesn't actually look bad with light blue hair.||

"Yeah, I'm all right. Oh, dear, your hands and face are… Well, I'm sure it'll be okay. I'm going with my House. I'll see you after dinner, okay?"

Ron was making faces behind Draco's back.

"Okay. In your rooms."

Hermione gave the Slytherin a light kiss while Harry kicked Ron's leg and gave him the look. Ron was now pretending to puke. And so they headed for the infirmary to get some of Madame Pomfrey's Longbottom-proof Fur-Removal Cream. If such thing existed.

The rest of their classes were cancelled for the day, as the Matron needed some time to make the fur-cover disappear (and Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville weren't her only customers…). Thankfully, she was quite experienced in health potions, so she managed to create a removal solution after carefully analysing the hair sample. She combined a strong depilatory tincture that some unlucky werewolves, suffering from post-full moon difficulties in getting rid of their fur, used, with a sample of a student's extra hair.

"Now be sure the drink the potion that is made from your… um, _bodily_ hair, and not your friend's."

As Hermione's turn to gulp down a gobletful came, she looked worriedly at Ron, who had just drunk his. His face was twisted in…

||…disgust perhaps? But then again, it's Ron who's always goofing about everything.||

She took the goblet, placed it on her lips, closed her eyes an drank. It didn't taste too bad. She opened her eyes and put down the goblet. That's when the cramps begun. First her stomach was on fire, then her hands. Her skin felt like it was being peeled off. The hairs were slowly disappearing.

||Thank Merlin, I don't have to suffer for nothing!||

The pain stopped as quickly as it had started. Some short pink hairs were still visible on her skin.

"Now let me see. Hmm. Right. I'm pretty sure they will go off on their own. If not, come to see me again in the morning. I'd like to keep you here overnight, but, as you can see, the ward is full. Not everyone was as lucky as you, Miss Granger, and they're not going anywhere, not yet."

Madame Pomfrey looked at her miserable, furry patients, eyes full of empathy. She pulled a few huge bars of Honeyduke's chocolate from the pocket of her robe and begun give it to the patients.

"Miss Granger, have this and you're free to go. No, Mr Longbottom, you aren't going anywhere. Here, poor boy, have some chocolate. Misters Potter and Weasley, I believe I can allow you to leave."

She broke two big pieces of the bar.

"Here you go. Miss Parkinson, Miss Zabini, here you are. You can go. Mr Malfoy, Miss Brown, you can go, too. Mr Thomas! Did I tell you you're free to go? Back to bed, right now! Miss Patil……………"

Harry, Hermione and Ron left the infirmary and paced towards the Gryffindor dormitories. Hermione really wanted to clean up before dinner at the Great Hall.

As she was done, the boys were already waiting her in the common room. Harry still had a blue moustache and Ron's hair was greenish instead of red.

"Ready to go?" asked Harry.

"Yes."

They left the common room and walked down the stairs. In the Great Hall they saw Neville. His fur wasn't quite so thick anymore.

"So, I guess chocolate really cures anything."

Hermione said. They sat down and the food appeared. Hermione took one potato and salad on her plate and gulped down a huge glass of pumpkin juice. Harry and Ron had platefuls of meatballs with gravy.

As they were having dessert, Hermione noticed Snape staring at them.

"Don't look now, but he's doing it again. I bet he's planning my detention. _Of course_ I should have stopped Neville because I'm good at potions and Neville's partner, thanks to _Snape_, and because I didn't, I deserve the chance to scrub some cauldrons." she said sarcastically.

She glared right back at Snape and was surprised to see him shift a little uncomfortably.

||What are you up to this time, professor Snape?||

To be continued…

A/N: This chapter is quite short, but the next one will be long. And we will get on with the story, that's a promise. Though it may take a while for me to write it (too bad mind-reading computers haven't been invented yet!) as I'm quite busy with school at the mo'.


	4. Of growing pains

A/N: I lied to you, tee hee. Promised one long chapter, but I'll give you two shorter ones as I don't want to change the POV in the middle

of a chapter… (and the second one will be out soon)

The bad thing is, I still haven't done my schoolwork, which I was supposed to do instead of planning Hermione's love life…

I also re-uploaded the previous chapters with slight changes in the text arrangement.

And thank you for the reviews! I'm almost embarrassed because of your comments… * blushes and smiles *

Chapter IV – Of Growing Pains

Monday, 8.00 pm. Snape was sitting in his office, trying to grade the wretched essays.

||So you think it was Grim-Gerald Quicksilbum who invented the famous Joyous Life Potion in 1635. Well, I'll give you a D- for not paying attention in Potions nor History of Magic.||

He scribbled a huge "D-" on the parchment with red ink, then put away his quill and stretched his arms, yawning. He rubbed his neck and glanced at the clock. Time to make his rounds. He got up, straightened his robes and left the room, pacing towards the Slytherin common room.

Standing in a dark corridor, he faced a small crack in the wall. He tapped the crack with his wand and muttered "Viperea Argentea." The crack grew big enough for him to step inside.

He stepped into the Serpent's Nest (a nickname for the Slytherin common room) and immediately the students rose and greeted him.

"Good evening, professor!" said Blaise Zabini, a 7th year prefect.

"Good evening, Miss Zabini. Is everything allright with the students? I can see Madame Pomfrey was able to create a cure… of sort."

He let his eyes wander around the students. Many of them still looked like they'd had their hair coloured like those Muggle punk rockers, but the extra bodily hairs were gone.

"Good. And where might I be able to find Mr Malfoy? I thought he would be here."

"He's probably in his rooms… We haven't seen him in the Nest lately. He likes to spend his time alone. Guess being the Head Boy is tough job and he needs to relax…" Blaise said a little cautiously.

||Or, guess he's too proud to spend time with the mere mortals these days.|| Snape thought.

"I'll leave you, then. Good night." he said and exited the Nest.

He climbed the stairs leading from the dungeons and, when reaching the second floor, opened a small door on the right side of the corridor. Behind the door was another, smaller corridor. There were some odd paintings on the walls and it was dimly lit. He paced towards the door that had the "HEAD BOY" –sign on it. He knocked three times and waited for an answer. When none came, he knocked again. He pressed his ear to the door and could clearly hear voices inside. After waiting a while his patience grew out and, tapping the door with his wand he snapped "Alohomora!" Nothing could have prepared him for the sight he was about to see.

"Mr Malfoy, now what would be so important, that you couldn't be bothered to open the door…"

His mouth hung open.

||Dear Merlin.||

Draco Malfoy was in the middle of an intimate moment with a girl… who looked just like Hermione. Snape knew it was Hermione and not just some girl, and felt the ugly beast of jealousy take over his mind.

||How dare he? That little piece of Malfoy filth… how _dare_ he touch _my_ girl? How many points should I deduct? 50? Or perhaps _150_? And detention to him. He'll arrange my potion ingredients alphabetically and then he'll scrub every single cauldron in the classroom and he'll…But Severus! She's _not_ your lady and _never_ will be! Remember that before acting. Now, calm down. If I'll ever, _ever_ get to that bastard Voldemort… oh, yes. _He will suffer.|| _

Then he noticed the terrified-looking Hermione staring at him. She had wrapped the blanket around her and was too stunned to do anything. Malfoy was standing in front of him wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and explaining the situation madly, but Snape couldn't hear him. All he could think about was Hermione.

||Of course. I should have known. Minerva once said something about "our cute Head Couple". Perhaps I should be paying more attention myself sometimes.||

"I'm truly sorry, sir! I know it's inappropriate of us to behave like this…"

"Dear me."

Snape finally managed to pull himself together.

"Inappropriate, indeed. Mr Malfoy, I expected to find you in the Nest, helping your fellow Slytherins, who still suffer the consequences of Gryffindor recklessness in potion making."

Draco looked down embarrassed.

"As for you, Miss Granger" Snape glared at Hermione "I really don't know what to say."

||Except, that he's not worthy! You deserve better! …Severus, don't you _dare_ to think _you_ would be any better… Oh _bloody_ fuck. I must stop arguing with myself. I'm starting to feel schizophrenic. Now, concentrate on the Dark Lord. Imagine yourself slowly ripping his guts out… The Unforgiveables just aren't entertaining or satisfying enough.||

"I think I should be going, Draco."

Hermione's voice woke Snape from his daydream.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I hope you understand us. You too have been a teenager."

Hermione gave Snape a tiny, shy smile. Snape stared at her, trying to memorize every moment.

||That must be the first ever smile she gave to me. Unfortunately, it's very likely the last as well. And, please, don't remind me of my teen years…||

"But, Miss Granger, as a teenager I still took care of my duties as a prefect, unlike you two. I believe I must report your actions to the Headmaster. I hope he's not too disappointed with his… _Head Couple_."

He smiled maliciously.

||Keep the façade, Severus!||

"Ten points from Gryffindor _and_ Slytherin. I trust Miss Granger will find her way back to her own rooms. Very merry night to both of you."

He turned on his heels and trotted out of Malfoy's room his robes billowing, slamming the door behind him.


	5. Errare humanum est

Chapter V – Errare humanun est

"Very merry night to you, too, Mr Slimy Son-of-a-bitch. Just _how_ exactly do you put up with him? If he was the Head of my House, I'd be running from Hogwarts, or at least begging the Headmaster to transfer me into Ravenclaw!" Hermione snorted as she pulled on her trousers.

"I usually don't have to, he doesn't give punishments to his House. But it's no big deal." Draco said, searching for his socks.

"Are you _defending_ him? And in case you didn't notice, he just deducted you _ten points_!"

"I'm not defending him. And it must be the first time he took points from me. He only takes points from Slytherin if we act really stupidly, like… um." Draco's mouth snapped shut.

"Like the Gryffindor Couple Harry and Ron, right? Merlin. I just _knew_ the subject would come up. The stupid little Gryffindors, always getting their points deducted…" She wasn't really listening to Draco.

"_I_ didn't say anything about Gryffindors. It was _you_, who…"

"But you were going to say. Jesus Christ, Draco!"

His eyes widened in surprise. Hermione only used muggle phrases when she was really pissed off.

"I really thought you'd grown from that "Gryffindors-are-stupid-let's-bash-and-tease-them" attitude!" she was shouting her lungs out now.

"And that Slytherin attitude of yours! It's okay to keep one with your House, but for God's sake! You don't need to suck the bastard's arse _every single time_!"

||Now look who's behaving immaturely, Hermione!||

Draco's eyes flashed. Hermione could see he was getting angry, too, but was clearly holding himself back.

"I don't _suck his arse_. And wasn't it _you_ flashing your innocent smile at him? Thought you'd get away with a little _flirt_?" he said dangerously.

"_Flirt_? You call _that_ flirting?" she screamed.

There was knock on the door and it opened.

"Hi, you people. Thought I'd find you here. Snape was looking for you, Draco… Is everything allright?" Blaise said as she stepped in, looking a bit confused.

Draco and Hermione both glared at her.

"BUGGER OFF!" they shouted.

Blaise jumped a little and muttered "Allright, allright... take it easy, guys."

"Actually, I'm leaving, too. I don't want to look at your face, _Malfoy_."

"I'm not the one to blame, _Granger_. And I certainly am not the one who's been screaming about for the last fifteen minutes."

"Fuck you, Malfoy. Fuck the whole, bloody Slytherin House!"

She grabbed the rest of her clothes and pulled her robe on. Then she stormed past Blaise, who was standing her with mouth hanging open, watching the scene not believing her eyes.

*******************************************************************************

Hermione ran through the corridors and stairs with tears in her eyes.

||I can't believe myself. How could I act so stupidly? _Why_ did I totally lose control of myself?||

She reached the sixth floor and quickly paced towards her rooms. She slammed the door shut and leaned her back against it. Crookshanks jumped and meeped, then looked at her irritated. Hermione walked to her bed and collapsed on it. She paid no attention to Crookshanks, who was trying to tell her he was hungry.

She lay in the darkness with her eyes open and switched her brain to Objective Observation-mode.

||What on earth was I thinking? Let's revise what happened. Everything was fine, I wasn't angry… before Snape came in. He stared at me horrified, I stared him back yet more horrified. Then he looked like he wanted to curse me. Merlin, the look on his face… I've never seen him _that_ angry before.||

Crookshanks bit her toe to protest his sudden abandonment.

"Oww! Why did you do that? Hungry, are we?" she reached for her wand.

"Accio smoked salmon!"

A plateful of delicious fish appeared on the floor. Crookshanks jumped off the bed and tucked in purring.

Hermione closed her eyes and tried to catch her thought.

||I just can't believe he hates me that much. I've done absolutely nothing to him! Then again, it's _Snape_ were talking about…||

She turned on her side and opened her eyes.

||But why did I react the way I did? It really is no big deal. He only deducted ten points, and yes, threatened to make a report, but we did nothing wrong! He can't make any of his petty little reports. I really don't think Dumbledore would give a shit about what we're doing in our spare time, especially if it's nothing forbidden. And we weren't needed in the common rooms, there are other prefects as well. What the hell is wrong with him? And what the hell is wrong with _me_?||

Crookshanks had finished his supper and was now purring next to Hermione. She stroked his back and pulled him closer.

"I need to apologise Draco, don't you think so? I acted like a moron today. I said those nasty things to him. I wasn't thinking about my words at all! You know I don't act like that, don't you? You know I'm not that kind of person. I _think_ before I talk. I don't say stupid things that mean nothing. But you know what, Shanks?" She pulled the cat on her stomach.

"We humans sometimes behave like that. We get taken over by our emotions, no matter how well we could control ourselves usually. And that's what makes us humans. I just hope Draco will forgive me."

She pulled the blanket over Crookshanks and herself and soon fell asleep.

********************************************************************************

The next morning she woke to a knocking on her door.

"Mmhh?"

She pushed her eyes open (they were a little puffy from last night's crying) and rubbed them. There was another knock.

"Mione? Are you there? You'll be late from breakfast soon!"

"Uhh… Yeah, I'm coming. Just gimme a minute."

She got up and hurried to the bathroom, yawning. She quickly splashed her face with cold water and swept yesterday's mascara away. ||No time for makeup. Too bad, I look like hell.|| she thought, looking in the mirror. She cast a cleaning spell on her robe, as there was no time to change clothes, either. A quick flick with the hairbrush and she was done. ||The first years will jump to the ceiling.||

Harry was waiting her outside. He no longer had blue hairs on his face. He took a look at her and said:

"Have you been up all night studying?"

"Yeah, something like that."

They hurried to the Great Hall, which was already filled with hungry students. As they took their seats on the Gryffindor table, Ron greeted them.

"Morning, Mione. Morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?"

Hermione gave him a glare.

"Like a baby."

"She's been studying. _Again_."

She kept quiet and grabbed an apple. She could clearly see the Slytherin table from where she was sitting. She glanced around it and noticed Draco looking at her. He looked away when he caught Hermione's eye.

She sighed and bit her apple.

||This might be harder than I thought…||

To be continued…


	6. Who would flirt with the Potions Master?

Chapter VI – Who would flirt with the Potions Master?

"Hermione, we're going to have a meeting at the prefects' room today. It's about the Halloween Ball. You're going to be there, right? We really need your ideas. The last Ball was totally wicked and I want to have even better one this time!"

Ginny was beaming at Hermione and almost jumping of excitement.

"Of course, Ginny! I wouldn't miss the planning for a thousand galleons!"

Hermione poured herself some orange juice and drank in big gulps.

"One o'clock, was it?"

"Yeah. I'll need to remind the others as well…"

"Good."

She put the glass on the table.

"I'll see you then. Now I must hurry. Damn, I forgot my books. I'm going to be so late from class."

She ran out of the Hall to get her bag before running to the Arithmancy classroom.

********************************************************************************

Professor Vector was already in the room when Hermione arrived. She was an old woman with black hair and icy blue eyes, dressed in a deep purple robe.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor."

Vector looked at her "Hmh"-ing.

"Firstly we discuss the number 2 and it's symbolic meaning. Yes, I know, we have studied it before, but I think a little revise won't harm anyone. It's also very appropriate number to look at now, as the Halloween Ball is getting closer. As you all know, number 2 represents love and romance as well."

She gave the class a very meaningful and sly smile.

||Elaine Vector must be the most perverted lady in her 60's.||

Hermione snickered to herself at the thought of Miss Vector pinching a younger man's butt.

||The male teachers are probably sexually harassed many times a day. Perhaps not everyone, though. She wouldn't touch Dumbledore, or Hagrid, or Professor Flitwick. Who do we have left? Snape?||

She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing out. The thought of Vector flirting with Snape in the staff room was too hilarious. Actually, the thought of _anyone_ flirting with Snape was funny.

||And I _certainly_ wasn't flirting with him, no matter what Draco thinks.||

Professor Vector had moved on to numbers 1 and 0, and was now explaining about the phallic and vaginal symbolism with her eyes gleaming. Hermione wasn't really concentrating, she just doodled spirals on her notes. One of them caught her eye.

||Funny. That one looks like a snake.||

"Miss Granger, are you feeling quite allright? You're not following the lesson."

"Oh? I'm sorry, Professor. I'm a little tired. We have the Ball to plan and everything… wears a girl out quite a bit!" she smiled.

"Are you sure? You might want to go to Madame Pomfrey. You don't usually wear out easily."

"Well, okay. I'll go see her after lunch."

"Good."

||As if I'm going to the infirmary. I'm going to find Draco and clear things out before the meeting.||

*********************************************************************************

Lunchtime came and Hermione went to the Great Hall to find her friends. She also wanted to find Draco, but he wasn't sitting at the Slytherin table. Hermione felt really empty inside. Luckily, her favourite food was served, so for once she actually had an appetite. She took a grilled chicken breast and some boiled broccoli and carrots on her plate. For dessert she had some apple pie with vanilla sauce.

"Everything ok, Mione?" Ron asked, munching his blueberry muffin.

"You've been staring quietly at your plate all the time!" Harry said after swallowing his food first. He had more manners than Ron.

"You know, we were just talking about the new Firebolt 20.2, that Harry got from McGonagall. It's way cool!" Ron's eyes were shining and he was smiling widely.

"You should come and see us practise. Harry's flying _so_ fast, Malfoy won't notice what hit him. The Gryffindor versus Slytherin match is next Saturday. We're _so_ gonna win it!"

"And you'll take care of that MacDougal guy. He's one hell of a chaser, after all. Better than Colin actually, but you didn't hear me say that, ok?"

"No Quaffle will pass me! But yeah, Colin might be in trouble with Grabbe and Goyle as beaters… they do have more muscles than brains, though."

"Let's not forget, that Parvati and Lavender have really proven themselves. And they're way faster than Morag MacDougal."

Ron snorted. He didn't really appreciate the fact, that Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were the Gryffindor chasers. But like Harry said, the girls had proven themselves. They could actually play without worrying about their mascara running. Perhaps Ron was just jealous.

"And with Seamus and Dennis as _our_ beaters…"

"Excuse me, but would you mind having a little pause?" Hermione had been staring at the boys blankly.

"Don't you have anything else to discuss than Quidditch?"

"What do you mean? Quidditch, c'est trés importante, as they say in Beauxbatons. There is no life without Quidditch!"

"Oh, _please_, Ron."

"She's right, we can talk about this later. Anyway, we gotta get our practise robes and head for the pitch! McGonagall said we don't need to go to afternoon classes, if we do extra homework. She really wants us to beat Slytherin and win the House Cup. Three defeats in a row is not a good thing, no."

"I'm leaving now. I've got to get to the prefects' room; we have a meeting about the Ball decorations and stuff. See you later, guys!"

"Hey! Why can't we talk about Quidditch, if you're not here listening, anyway?" 

Hermione gave Ron a look.

"Bye, now!"

"Bye, Mione!"

"Bye! Will you come to pitch later? We'll wait for… Oh, guess she didn't hear me."

To be continued… (If I left this part out, would you think I wasn't going to make another chapter? Haha…)

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, I'm so glad you like the story! * smiles *

And don't worry about Hermione and Severus, I've got it all planned up in my twisted little head. Just wait and you'll see…

(And to Zaria: I'm not English. I hail from Finland, so we're sort of neighbours * smiles again *)


	7. Head Boy Missing

Chapter VII – Head Boy Missing 

"Pardon me, Headmaster?" Snape scowled.

He was sitting in a comfy armchair in Dumbledore's office, facing the Headmaster.

||The man is nuttier than I thought!||

"I was hoping that you take part in the Ball planning, Severus, as I'm far too busy at the moment. I trust you can keep the students' feet on the ground, so they don't go over the top with the decorations" the older man smiled.

||Look who's talking, Albus.||

"Of course, I would take part myself if only I could…"

"Is this truly necessary?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so." The Headmaster looked a little amused.

"Very well, then, Headmaster" Snape snapped, got up and marched out of the Headmaster's office.

A little later he was on his way to the prefects' room. He paced quickly and didn't really pay attention to his surroundings, so he didn't notice Hermione Granger running along one corridor… and straight into him! Snape couldn't help a tiny shiver, as he felt the young woman's body pressed to his for a second.

"Uhh! Sorry, um. Professor… Snape" she gulped and stared at him frightened.

Blood was pounding in his ears and he couldn't make out the words.

"Watch where you're… going, Herm… Miss Granger" he said stammering a bit.

"Yes, Professor. Sorry."

Hermione continued walking towards the prefects' room, a few steps ahead Snape. He noticed her giving him strange looks every now and then.

||This might be nice after all. I almost forgot, that Hermione would be at the meeting, too.||

Hermione opened the door and took a look at Snape, who was also standing by the door now.

"Are… are you coming, too, Professor?" she said surprised.

Snape fought back the urge to smile widely and instead scowled "Yes, unfortunately."

She paled a little and stepped in, followed by Snape. Everyone else was already there, gathered around a huge table chattering loudly. Snape felt the vein on his temple start throbbing and cleared his throat. Most of the students raised their heads and quickly went quiet.

"I believe we have a Halloween ball to plan, so we'd better get started and perhaps we won't be sitting here wasting our time at midnight."

Ginny grabbed some parchment and ink and announced, that she'd be the secretary. Hermione sat down next to Snape, as it was the only seat left.

"Good. Now where is Mr Malfoy?"

"He wasn't feeling allright, so he went to get some Pepper-Up Potion from Madame Pomfrey." Blaise said promptly.

"I see. Well, what are you waiting for? Let me know your ideas, so I'll consider them. Just remember, I am no Albus Dumbledore, so you'd better be careful with your suggestions."


End file.
